Lumber-drier



UNITisD STATES JOHN J. CURRAN, OF GHIUAGO, ILLlNOlS.

LuMBER-nRu-:a

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters` Patent No. 274,282, dated March 20,1883.

Application filed April 10, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it mayooaceru:

Beit known that I, JOHN J. GURRAN, of

Chicago, in the count-y of Cook and State y of' ing features, to wit: iirst, the air-heatin g chamber, located beneath the drying-chamber; second, the detlecting-board by which the heated air is directed as it enters the drying-chamber: and, third, the construction and location of the chimney or flue by which the air leaves the drying-cham ber.

The rst of these improvements has for its object to secure a more steady supply ofV air to the heating-chamber, and to obviate the liability existing under the old construction of chilling the steam heating-pipes; and to this enditconsistsinprovidinganintermediatedoor or register cutting ott' an anterior chamber in which the cold air is partially arrested and retained, and whence it passes to the heatingchamber proper in a steadier flow and in a partially-warmed condition.

The second branch of my improvements embraces two features, one having for its object to more perfectly direct the air horizontally into and beneath the first car of lumber, instead of allowing it to first rise to the top of thedrying-chamber. By this means the lower portions of the lumber are more thoroughly acted upon by the heated air and the entire body of lumber more evenly dried. The other feature of this branch ot'myinvention has for its object to direct the heated air into the middle of the iirst lumber pile as well as into its lower portions, so that the middle of the boards will be dried equally with `their ends. A general'advantage of this branch of my improvement is found in the avoidance thereby of a puffy movement of the air-current incident in some measure to the old construction, in which the rising and horizontal currents produced objectionable eddying and spasmodi-c or intermittent forward movements of the air through the drying-chamber. To these ends this part of my improvement consists, primarily, in the combination, with the door heretofore used, of a horizontal del-:lectin g boardor hood resting against or supported proximate to the adjacent 1umber pile, and, secondarily, in lateral Wings applied to said hood, by which the air is retained at its sides and prevented from escaping in too large volume about the ends of the pile. I

The third branch of my invention embraces two features, having for their objects, first, to strengthen the draft through the central part of the kiln; and, second, .to make the draft more uniform and to prcventinterruption thereof by sudden movements ot' the external or wind currents. To these ends my invention relating to the chimney consists, tirst, in locating the narrow portion ot' the chimney centrally as to the drying-chamber; and, second, in providing a lateral deflection therein, as will be more fully set'forth. `In the drawings, Figure l is a central vertical longitudinal section of a lumber-drier containing my several improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the deiiecting hood and register, with'itslateral wings shown in relation to the tracks and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of said hood j and wings folded in a horizontal4 position, detached.

A is the drying-chamber of the kiln, having the usual inclined floor A', ceiling parallel to the floor, tracks a, and end doors, A2 A3, for the admission and discharge of the lumber piles stacked on cars fitted to the tracks a.

B is the most advanced car-load of lumber in said chamber A, othersin practice occupying the remainder of said chamber, and being successively advanced to the position of B prior to being discharged at A3. Said lumber-piles are built up in the usual manner in i rectangular form to proximate the side walls and the ceiling of drying-chamber. Gis the air-heatin g chamber, provided with steam-pipes Cf, arranged preferably in transverse gates, as shown, said chamber communicating with the drying-chamber A by the passage a at the rear end of the kiln through4 lOO the door A'. The passage a' is located between the tracks a a, which are situated each about one-fourth the width of the chamber inward from the adjacent side of the latter.

D D' D2 is the chimney, leading from the front end of the drying-chamber, as shown.

Heretofore these kilns have been constructed with buta single chamberfor heating the air, extending and provided with heating-pipes throughout the entire length of the kiln. Cold Tair admitted immediately and directly to the pipes in a violent current through the register or doors E would sometimes chill said pipes, impairing their circulation, or even freezing their contained water of condensatiomthereby in cold and windy weather interrupting or interfering seriously with the operation and use of the kiln. To remedy this `defect the anteiior chamber, F, is cut olf from the frontend of the space beneath the kiln by the broad register or door F', and the heating-pipes C' are confined to the rear and longer chamber, G, as shown in Fig. l. The cold air, being admitted n'rst to the chamber F, is therein commingled with warmer air previously admitted, so as to lose its chilling' effect, and is, moreover, retarded and regulated in its passage to the pipes through the register F', so as to iiow evenly forward into and through the heatingchamber U.

The deector heretofore applied to the passage a' has consisted of a plain door hinged to the rear edge of the opening and adapted to be set more or less inclined toward the ad- 3 5 jacentlumber-pile B.v Stich adeflector does not,

however, operate to prevent the main portion of the heated air from rising into the space g and thence passing forward near the top and about the sides ofthe chamber, drying the upper boards andthe ends of the boards morev completely than theremaining portions.

- This effect is in some degree remedied by the depending curtain H, but not completely, while the air by rst rising into the space g, as stated, before passing forward is materially interrupted in its progress, much to the detrir ment of the draft of the kiln, both as to its steadiness and force.

G indicates my improved deflector as a whole. It consists of the original door, G', a1- ready described, of size suitable to close the passage a' when lowered, said passage being located between the tracks a a, as better shown in Fig. 1. To the free edge of the door G' is hinged the similar flap, G2, which may be supported in a horizontal position against 'the lumber-pile B by means of a stick thrust beneath it between the boards of said lumberpile or otherwise. By means of the hood G2 the door G' is not so much inclined forward as to impede the draft, and the air-current is in the firs'tinstance mainly directedinto the lower central portion of the first lumber-pile, where its effects are most needed, for the reason that in the positions previously occupied by the car the principal effects of the heated air have added to the parts G' and G2 by hinges connecting them with the p art G2. These side wings measnrably prevent lateral escape of the air from beneath the deiiector, and may 'serve to support the remaining parts, as seen in Fig. 3. When the door is lowered to allow the car to be rolled out of the kiln, the several parts, G', G2, and G", may be folded, as shown in Fig. 4.

Kilns have been heretofore constructed with a broad chimney extending entirely across the kiln, and others have been made with two narrow chimneys located one at each side of the kiln. The. former has been found objectionable by reason of the great extent of surface exposed to the wind. The latter form has been found to be an economical construction in building two or more kilns side by side, because one chimney couldbe made to serve for two adjacent kilns; but this location of the chimneys has been found to favor the natural and objectionable tendency of the air to pass along the sides of the drying-chamber in spite of other means employed to prevent it. Wherefore I have here shown the chimney made'of the full width of the kiln at its lower portion, D, but narrowed in its upperportion, D2, which is centrally placed, as vindicated in Fig. 2. By this means the air-current is given substantially equal force throughout the entire width of the kiln, the central position of the upper part of the Hue practically balancing or neutralizing the tendency to a more forcible draft along the sides of the dryingchamber. y

The anterior chamber, F, and the dedectorG, above described, contribute materially to evenness or steadiness of draft in the kiln; but as a means more especially directed to this object, the chimney is provided with an offset, D', and a horizontal deliectin-g-board, d, by which the current is sharply deflected, as indicated by the arrows, Fig. l. By means of this deflection in the flue the draft of the kiln is much less affected by sudden changes in the direction and velocity of the outer wind. As here shown, such deflection of the liuc orchimney passage is located in the lower and broader part of the chimney; but it is believed that substantially the same effect will be obtained if located elsewhere.

The depending curtain J, shown in former patents as forming the extension of the chimney below the ceiling ofthe drying-chamber, is here shown in connection with the improved device for hoisting the same, which consists of the cord j, fastened by one end at j' and trainedbeneath the roller J' and over the pulley J2, located in the chimney-passage. By locating the pulley J2 in the position shown the cord may be made to raise the roller J' with the curtain folded thereon to or above the IOO IIO

IIS

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time y i level of the ceiling, so asfto allovr the lumber' piles to pass through, reaching very near to the ceiling. This is important,p,since it is found that piling the lumber to a height just barely clearing the ceiling is the most effective means of' preventing undue pressure of the air along the top of the drying-chamber. s

I claimas my invention- 1. In a lumber-drier, the combination, with the air-heating chamber C, of the anteriorv chamber, F, provided with the registers E and F', substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

to the passage a', substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth. y

4. In combination with the horizontal drying-chamber A, admitting-hot air at one end and discharging the same at the other, and

with the traveling lumber-pile proximating thcwalls and ceiling of the chamber, the discharge flue or chimney, made'of the full width of said chamber at the bottom and terminating in a narrower central lue at the top, substantially as shown. Y

5. In a lumber-drier, the discharge-flue having an offset, D', and deilector d, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim 'the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN J. Yerinnern.

Witnesses:

M. E. DAYTON, JESSE CoX, Jr. 

